The Year is Dying in the Night
by BelovedShadow
Summary: For years, Itachi remembers Sasuke being miserable on Christmas. ( ItaSasu Christmas Drabble Series )
1. Itachi 12 Sasuke 7

**A/N: So this year, instead of doing one massive Christmas one-shot, I am doing a series of drabbles that will run from today until a little after New Years, following the Christmases of Itachi and Sasuke through the years. Hope y'all like it!**

 **Enjoy!**

The first time Itachi could remember his brother being sad on Christmas, he was twelve years old. Sasuke was seven. They had waited up together, at the younger Uchiha's absolute insistence. The boy's little pink nose was kissed by the cold as his chubby face smashed awkwardly against the skylight window of their attic, making cloudy impressions on the glass with each excited breath.

Itachi's hands were holding firmly to his little brother's sides, and his feet placed precariously against the seat of a wobbly old chair that they'd discovered during their treasure hunt through the semi-abandoned room in search of something to stand on. Sasuke's own feet were balanced atop Itachi's shoulders, but Itachi's arms were really what was keeping him upright. Itachi was suffering through several moments of panic as the younger child squirmed with anxiety, but by some grace of god – or perhaps holiday miracle, they managed not to fall.

"What time is it _now_?" Sasuke whisper-yelled down to his big brother, shuffling anxiously which nearly caused them both to topple over – being saved only by the sense Sasuke had to clasp tightly onto the windowsill while Itachi clenched onto the chair with one hand, keeping the other firmly bound to Sasuke's leg.

The elder Uchiha blew out air, glancing over to the large analog clock that laid abandoned on the attic floor. His mother had banished it here several months ago – claiming that it ticked too loud to be in the presence of sane human company. At this moment, Itachi agreed with her wholeheartedly. The sound of time passing was driving him mad – not because of the obtrusive ticking noise, but because he knew how this would end, but didn't know how to explain things gently. And so, instead, found himself going along with Sasuke's plan.

"It's five past twelve," He answered with a sleepy yawn, and then – realizing what that meant, smiled, "Merry Christmas, Otouto!"

"He didn't come," Sasuke answered, sniffling loudly. Itachi felt a drop of water on his forehead and sighed, reaching his arms up higher so that they were around Sasuke's waist, allowing him to gently pull the child down and onto the chair, which they both stepped off of, sitting on the attic floor.

"Neji-Kun was right! Santa isn't real!"

In a matter of minutes, Sasuke's eyes were red and puffy, tears streaming down his chubby cheeks as he sobbed relentlessly into Itachi's chest, the older boy not knowing what to do aside from hold his brother until the crying desisted.

"Do you want to wake mother and father? We can open the presents early – I bet you've got hundreds!" He tried, knowing that it was an accurate estimate. The Uchiha family wasn't exactly unfortunate when it came to finances, and Sasuke being the youngest member of their clan was always doted on by everyone in the holiday season. Their mother alone ordered toys _by the catalogue_ and that was without mentioning the token gifts they would receive from uncles and aunts and cousins.

It was to no avail, however. Sasuke didn't care about the presents. What he loved about Christmas was the _magic_ and now, he had lost it. And so Itachi kept holding his little shaking body until finally, they both fell asleep.

 **A/N: Okay! I know they're short, but again – this is a drabble series. Be looking forward to the next installment tomorrow! Love you guys! Merry Christmas!**

 **-Beloved**


	2. Itachi 13 Sasuke 8

**A/N: Here's the next installment of these Christmas drabbles!**

 **Enjoy!**

On Christmas when Itachi was thirteen years old, their parents had decided that it was too cold in their hometown and the four of them took a cruise. There was a pool on the ship, along with sauna, dining hall, playroom – and endless other amenities for the Uchiha boys to entertain themselves with. But Sasuke was dreaming of a white Christmas.

"You know, Mother says the screening room is showing Christmas movies all day today. We could go, eat cookies with milk, and watch Jingle all the Way." He proposed to his eight year old brother who was determinedly snuggled up beneath every blanket he could find despite the extreme heat. Itachi, to be considerate, had blasted the air conditioner in their room in order to make Sasuke's temper tantrum a bit more climactically comfortable.

"I don't wanna watch snow on _television,_ Oniisan!" He wailed, and the lump of boy beneath the comforters squirmed and thrashed with anger. "I wanna go _home_!"

Itachi was shivering. It was too damn cold in here for him to be standing in his pajamas arguing with a petulant child who had _stolen his blanket_. Still, he could not bring himself to be outright _angry_ at Sasuke, seeing as the idea of his Otouto being miserable on Christmas yet again was something that greatly disturbed him. This year, he was going to make it better.

"Scoot over," He warned, before lifting up a corner of Sasuke's blanket-armor and climbing inside with him. He used the pad of his thumb to wipe away at Sasuke's tears and snuggled up close, wrapping his arms around him and releasing a sigh at the resulting warmth that it provided.

"Hey," He said, several minutes later, "Do you wanna know a secret?"

Sasuke nodded meekly, eyes wide and sad – but still curious. He was always excited by new information, especially information that he knew he wasn't supposed to have.

"Shisui-Kun put mistletoe up _all over_ the complex, because he's inviting a girl to visit today and wants her to kiss him."

Sasuke giggled, sniffling a little bit and then laughing more when Itachi made a kissy face to mock their cousin's dilemma.

"Do you think she's really gonna kiss him, Aniki?" Sasuke asked, looking less sad as their gossip continued – which had been exactly Itachi's goal.

"I think that if she's stupid enough to go for that, he's wasting his time liking her." Itachi admitted with a roll of the eye, scooting closer to Sasuke when he felt himself nearly falling off of the bed.

"But Oniisan – you've _gotta_ kiss if you're under mistletoe!"

Itachi opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted when the door opened and his mother called out to them:

"Boys, come on! We're opening presents in the snow room." She announced, and Sasuke threw the blankets off of them and leapt up with excitement.

"There's a _snow room_!" He exclaimed, tugging on his jeans and Christmas sweater (He had rebelliously refused to pack any clothes for warm weather) and bounding out of the door. "C'mon, Aniki! There's gonna be snow and presents and, and … and CHRISTMAS!"

Itachi released a thoroughly relieved breath. This year – tragedy had been avoided. Thank goodness. With a soft smile, he followed.

 **A/N: Another piece up!**

 **Love,**

 **-Beloved**


End file.
